Former Bush officials playing roles on behalf of oil, gas, mining and other energy interests

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) today released a report, Smoke Screen: How Bush Insiders Distorted – And Still Influence – America’s Debate Over Climate Change, profiling former Bush officials and the roles they are now playing on behalf of oil, gas, mining and other energy interests.

CREW REPORT REVEALS ROLE BUSH OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO PLAY IN SHAPING THE DEBATE ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As world leaders gather in Copenhagen to discuss the challenges posed by climate change, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) today released a report revealing how the debate in Congress over climate change initiatives is being influenced by the people who made up President George W. Bush’s climate team.

CREW’s report, Smoke Screen: How Bush Insiders Distorted – And Still Influence – America’s Debate Over Climate Change [3.7MB download], profiles many of these former Bush officials and the roles they are now playing on behalf of oil, gas, mining and other powerful energy interests.

CREW’s Smoke Screen report examines the critical positions several of these former Bush officials held on key bodies such as the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). The report also reviews how they deliberately distorted critical scientific reporting on global warming.

According to CREW’s report, at least 22 former Bush-era climate officials have moved into lobbying or government relations. Fourteen of them are registered lobbyists.

“These alumni of the Bush climate team continue to shape and confuse the debate over global warming,” said Melanie Sloan, CREW’s executive director. “They may have changed their uniforms, but they’re still playing for the same team.”

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Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a non-profit legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials accountable for their actions. For more information, please visit http://www.citizensforethics.org, or contact Matt Jacob at 202.408.5565 or [redacted]